The 31st annual Thousand Oaks Gospel Camp has been cancelled.

The event, which draws upwards of 4,000 people to Winkler's Parkland area, was to take place the last weekend in June.

Thousand Oaks Board Director and Treasurer, Jake Elias says although this was the right decision, it was still a hard one to make. "It was a very difficult decision to cancel...we are already looking forward to next year."

Depending on what moves the government makes for the fall, Elias says the board has discussed a possible event for the fall.

While drawing local people, Elias says the annual gospel camp also brings folks to the city from Saskatchewan, Alberta, as well as faithful attendees from the United States each year.

Meanwhile, Darren Heide, President of the Winkler and District Chamber of Commerce says it's definitely difficult to see events like the Thousand Oaks Gospel Camp and Winkler Harvest Festival cancelled. He says it will have an impact on the local economy. "A lot of our businesses, hotels, restaurants, retail... it's always a boost to the local economy to have these large events."

Heide says it is understandable, however, as the health and safety of our local community are most important. "We want to ensure that we continue to physical distance, ensure that we eliminate the spread of this virus so that we can have bigger and better events for many years to come. Hopefully, this is a short term pain for long term sustainability."

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